One Red Speck Away
[Validity] Requires national space program.
[Description] While attending the @@DENONYM@@ Annual Space Convention, an acne-ridden middle schooler approaches you. Before your security can get him away, he unveils a ten foot tall poster detailing a manned mission to Mars.
[Option 1] "Ac-th-ualy," the teenager slobbers, pushing the poster in your face. "a mission to Venus--I mean Mars--isn't as far off as it s-s-seems. According to my calculations, we can land on Mars here. The p-p-p-polynomial trajectory should l-l-launch us there and we'll b-b-boost with hyper-powered Orion boosters fueled with Lithium. Ooh! I'm so excited. It'll cost us some money, but imagine: Venus--I mean Mars. I call dibs on being the lead astronaut!"
[Fallout] people walk without shirts on their backs from @@NAME@@'s extensive taxation in the name of space
[Option 2] An intern scientist pushes the teenager away. "This kid has absolutely no idea what he's talking about, he's not even using the right math terms -- does he even know what a polynomial is?! Listen, look what happened to the planet we're on today, the Global temperature is rising and @@ANIMAL@@s are going extinct from how much pollution there is. If we go to Mars, it'll be just as messed up as our planet. What happens when the whole solar system is ruined? We can't go to Mars until we fix our own planet, then we'll think about it."
[Fallout] only when pigs fly will @@NAME@@ look towards the Stars
[Option 3] "Hello, I'm Ulon Mesk," says a rich billionaire who owns Space Y, a private astroneering company. "At this point, the government has better things to deal with than space, like housing the homeless or whatever. So why have the government do it when you could have me, a private business owner, do it for you? Ease up on some of those safety regulations and I'll have my crew make a mission to Mars -- maybe even colonize it."
[Validity] Private industry is legal
[Fallout] the government employs private businesses to do things for them
[Option 4] "I'll show you Commies how it's done!" says Ulon Mesk, a rich billionaire who owns Space Y, a private astroneering company. "At this point, the government has better things to deal with than space, like housing the homeless or whatever. So why have the government do it when you could have me, a private business owner, do it for you? Ease up on some of those safety regulations and I'll have my crew make a mission to Mars -- maybe even colonize it. C'mon leader, embrace capatalism!"
[Validity] Private industry is illegal
[Fallout] the government employs private businesses to do things for them
[Option 5] A shady man in a business suit elbows you. "Or we could fake the landing, people would think it's pretty impressive. Lights, cameras, action! And you know who could be the star of the show? You! Your name will be on billboards as the first person on Mars. Doesn't that sound great? I only ask for five trillion @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@, so not much." The man winks and slinks off into a shadow where he seemingly disappears.
[Fallout] @@NAME@@ is a conspiracy theorist's paradise
It's in rough shape, but I feel like it could work.
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